Jinrickshaw Station

By Tan, Bonny written on 1999-12-10
National Library Board Singapore

Comments on article: InfopediaTalk

The Jinrickshaw Station (a.k.a Jinricksha Station), located at the junction of Neil Road and Tanjong Pagar Road, built in 1903, served as the registration centre for rickshaws.

Description
David McLeod Craik, whilst holding the appointment of architectural assistant to the municipal in Singapore, designed it in the neo-revivalist baroque style. Samuel Tomlinson was then the Municipal Engineer, serving between 1896 - 1902. Its rounded facade which follows the curve of the junction gives it a unique appearance. A domed lantern set atop the 2-storeyed building gives it a measure of dignity. Giving it a unique look were its exposed brickworks which today is painted over.

Rickshaws were registered here and were checked for road-worthiness. It was converted into a family planning clinic and a child-care centre when rickshaws were phased out by 1947, its role taken over by trishaws. In the late 1980s, it was included in the Tanjong Pagar Conservation Area by URA and refurbished by L. B. Holdings in the early 1990s to house shops and restaurants today.

Completed: 1903. 
Architect: Samuel Tomlinson and David McLeod Craik, Municipal Council of Singapore. 
Owner: L. B. Holdings.



Author
Bonny Tan



References
Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1996). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (p. 462). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 915.957 EDW)

Tyers, R. K. (1993). Ray Tyers' Singapore: Then and now (p. 191). Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 TYE)

Craik designed rickshaw station. (1988, December 5). The Straits Times, Forum.

Former rickshaw station at Tanjong Pagar up for sale. (1988, November 18). The Straits Times.



The information in this article is valid as at 2000 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.



Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Historic Buildings
Commerce and Industry>>Transportation
Historic buildings--Singapore
Arts>>Architecture>>Public and commercial buildings

Librarian Recommendations
>> Rickshaw
>> Jinrickshaw Station building : exterior
>> Neil Road


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